Spirituality For Peace And Justice

Book on Christian Spirituality This is a book of poems on Christian spirituality as response to personal crises in life, woes and struggles of women, natural calamities, violence and terror. This book expresses poetic sensitivity to some events in our history that reflect conflicts in culture, religion and ideologies. This is spirituality from the eyes of faith, attempting to read the signs of our time in the light of the source of love and life that has called us to be responsible stewards as we commit ourselves to acts of love, compassion, peace and justice. These poems were written during my time as a student, teacher, pastor, ecumenical and community worker in the Philippines, as a missionary in Nepal, teacher, wife, mother, and as a cultural worker in Denmark, stretching a period of more than twenty years. I offer this book of poems to those who seek life, to those who despair, and to those who want to be inspired. Christian spirituality is in the human heart in its encounter with the wounded and resurrected Christ. In celebrating beauty and human creativity, I have illustrated some poems with my own paintings done during my integration process as a foreigner in Denmark. (EPO)

Religion Seeking Justice and Peace not only highlights the values that the different religions share in their pursuit of justice and peace but also provides concrete examples of how individuals and institutions from different religious backgrounds have worked for justice and peach throughout history. The book also exposes the danger of religious extremism, religious exclusivism and other such negative traits to the struggle for justice and peace. It takes cognisance of the impact of the larger environment upon religious ideals and, at the same time, makes a plea for the application of universal values and principles embodied in the various religions to politics. Economics, culture and society. This is particularly important, some of the contributors argue, at a time like this when humanity is confronted with multiple global crises.

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has tackled many issues of urgent reform within the church. Mercy in Action explores Pope Francis’s efforts to renewCatholic social teaching—the guidance the church offers on matters that pertain to social justice in the world. The book examines what Pope Francis has said, done, and written on six critical social issues today—economic inequality, worker justice, preserving the environment, healthy family life, the plight of refugees, and peacemaking. The book also highlights both continuity and change in Catholic social teaching. Author Thomas Massaro illustrates how on each social issue—from expressing solidarity with unemployed workers to writing an encyclical addressing environmental degradation and climate change—Pope Francis has worked to update the church’s message of social justice and mercy.

Longtime labor and immigration rights activist Victor Narro believes it's time to bring spirituality into social justice work. To that end, his book Living Peace provokes dialogue for the sharing and integration of spirituality among those working for peace and justice. Narro reveals how the life and teachings of St. Francis of Assisi shape his work, teaching him the way of peace, love, and service, and how through interaction with other activists, his Franciscan spirituality has also been enriched by that of others, such as Vietnamese Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh. As he shares his reflections on various ways spirituality can nourish social activism, Narro invites readers to contemplate and then express what's inside their own hearts as they awaken to the power of shared spirituality as a force for social justice. The book's simple, elegant structure presents each reflection along with several questions and the space to write responses. Each book will become a personal spiritual tool for activists, providing guidance that can make the struggle for justice more compassionate, more fulfilling, and healthier for everyone.

Understanding World Religions introduces students to major worldviews—including Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Jewish, Christian, Native American, and Marxist—through the lens of justice and peace. The second edition has been updated and revised throughout. After an introduction to key themes in studying world religion, chapters help students explore major traditions today. Each chapter takes a similar approach, examining several dimensions of each tradition—experiential and emotional, social and institutional, narrative or mythic, doctrinal and philosophical, practical and ritual, and ethical and legal. Chapters feature profiles of major peacemakers or groups to bring the traditions to life. Profiles range from Gandhi and Martin Luther King to Thich Nhat Hanh and Dorothy Day. Further chapters explore liberation theologies, active nonviolence, and just war theory. The second edition features a broader framework than the first edition and includes new material on non-religious ethical norms, Islamophobia, colonial evangelization, religion in China, and an updated examination of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Understanding World Religions remains a powerful introduction to major worldviews with an emphasis on practical connections to peace and justice.

Throughout his life Henri Nouwen stressed the connection between intimacy with Christ and solidarity with a wounded world. From his early support for the civil rights movement, through his engagement in the cause of peace and his life with the handicapped members of the L'Arche community, Nouwen was always engaged with the social dimensions of the gospel. In gathering Nouwen's writings on peace and social justice, editor John Dear amplifies this crucial element of Nouwen's message about the call of Christian discipleship. At the same time, Nouwen issues a call to activists to be peacemakers in the fullest sense: to root their witness in prayer, joy, and a spirit of love. Included are a previously unpublished essay on peacemaking; stories of the March on Selma and the funeral of Martin Luther King; reflections on the legacies of Oscar Romero and Thomas Merton; and a moving talk on compassion in the time of AIDS. For all those who have read and treasured the life and work of Henri Nouwen, The Road to Peace is an inspiration, and a challenge to live our Christian lives with both love and action.

This revised edition of the popular classroom text offers a theological reading of globalization and a global reading of theology.